Sliding film projector



y 1942- J. N. LOUGHNER ETAL ,281,943

SLIDING FILM PROJECTOR Filed March 11, 1940 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS John N. Loughner Charles 0. Gleason ATTORNE y 1942- cf J. N. LOUGHNER ETAL 2,281,943

SLIDING FILM PROJECTOR Filed March 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 47 g1 I E6 INVENTOR5 John N. Loughner B? v Chirles O. Gleason ATT RNEYZ M y 1942- J. N. LQUGHNER ETAL 2,281,943

SLIDING FILM PROJECTOR Filed March 11, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet :5

F2 La INVENTOR? John N. Louqhner BY 1 I Charles 0. Gles I a t I I '1 7 I N l I RNEYEF Pmma May 5, 1942 SLIDING FILM raomo'ron John N. Loughner, Detroit, and Charles 0. Gleason, Ferndale, Mich assignors to Jam Handy Picture Service, Inc., Detroit, Mich a corpora tion of Delaware Application March 11, 1940', Serial No. 323,426

2 Claims.

This invention relates to sliding film projectors and refers more particularly to improvements in sound-slide film equipment.

In the commercial use of sound-slide film projectors, it has been customary to manually advance the film along the film track to successively register the frames on the film with the lens barrel in timed relation to the sound or narrator's voice recorded on the orthodox disc type record and reproduced by an electromagnetic speaker through the medium of a crystal pickup. The success of equipment of the above type depends largely on synchonizing the film with the sound which is usually in the form of a voice commenting on the scenes illustrated by the different frames of the film. In order to assist the operator in advancing the film in 'synchronim with the narrator's voice, the

various recorded descriptions are, in effect, separated on the record by an audible note. The note acts as an audible signal to indicate the end of the description directed to the frame of the film under projection and when this signal is heard by the operator, he immediately advances the film to register the following frame with the projector lens.

One objection to the above apparatus is that the audible signal is frequently heard by. the

audience, as well as the operator, and distracts the attention of the audience. Another objection is that the operator frequently neglects to advance the film at the proper time and, as a result, the projected frame of the film does not correspond with the sound reproduction.

The present invention eliminates the above objections by automatically advancing the film in synchronism with the sound and accomplishes this result with a relatively simple, inexpensive apparatus capable of being readily embodied in sound-slide film projecting equipment without appreciably altering the construction of the latter. In accordance with the present invention, the notes recorded on the record are of such frequency that they do not pass through the audio amplifier of the sound recording device. These notes or signals are received in the input circuit of a suitable amplifier tuned to the particular frequency of the note and having a sensitive relay in the output circuit. The relay is energized when the signal is impressed on the input of the amplifier and closes the circuit to suitable film advancing mechanism. As a result, the film is automatically advanced at the proper period without distracting the attention of the audience and without any attention on the part of the operator.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,

especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the soundslide film projecting unit;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a portion of the projector shown in Figure l and having certain parts broken away for the sake of clear ness;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of- Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 5-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating a sound-slide film projector constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 is a diagram of the voice amplifier.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that we have illustrated in Figure l a sound-slide film projector having a vertical track ill for guiding the film in operative relation to a lens barrel ii and having means for periodically ad-' vancing the film to successively register the picture frames on the film with the rear end of the lens barrel. Upon reference to Figure 3, it.

will be noted that the film advancing means includes a pair of sprockets iiimounted on a horizontal shaft l3 and having teeth 54 successively engageable in suitable slots i5 formed in the film adjacent opposite longitudinal edges of the film. A suitable source of illumination in the form of an electric light bulb (not shown) is supported within a housing It registering with the rear end of the lens barrel and suitable lenses (not shown) are mounted in the lensbarrel ii for projecting the picture frames of the film on a suitable screen. briefly outlined above, may be any one of the well-known accepted designs and, therefore, are not illustrated or described in detail herein.

In the embodiment selected herein for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, the above'parts of the projector are adapted to be housed in a suitable casing I! when not in use and are mounted in assembled relationship on the inner surface of a hinged closure l8 for the open front end of the casing ii. The casing l'l also supports a sound reproducing unit of the The parts of the projector,-

\ put circuit thereof.

disc type in such a manner that this unit forms a compact assembly with the projecting mechanism. In general, the sound reproducing unit embodies a table is removably supported on the top of the casing I! for rotation in a horizontal plane and operatively connected to a suitable electric motor (not shown) housed in the casing II. The table 19 is adapted to support a disc type record 20 of the sound it is desired.

to use, in conjunction with the pictures illustrated by the projecting mechanism. The sound is taken from the record 20 by means of a conventional crystal pickup 2| supported at the free end of a tone arm 22 having the opposite plification for the audio-frequency signal received in the input circuit by the pickup 2|. In accordance with the conventional practice, a rectifier 26 is connected in the circuit to supply direct current to the heater elements in the re,-

Iy spective tubes and to the screen grids in .the

latter. The electrodynamic speaker is also housed in the casing l1 and one side of the latter is open, as at 23, to permit emission of the sound. The above parts of the sound reproducing unit may also be any one of the well-known accepted designsand, therefore, are not illustrated or described in detail herein.

Although the above equipment has many and diversified'uses, nevertheless, particular success has been obtained by employing the equipment for educational purposes. When used for this or a similar purpose, the record 20 is usually provided with a series of different recordings which correspond or explain the different pictures on the film. It follows, therefore, that the film must be advanced in timed relation to the record so that the two will besynchronized and the proper picture will be illustrated at the time the recording directed to this picture is reproduced.

In the use of the generaltype of equipment briefly outlined above, the film had to be adthe signal was so slow that the next recording would be under reproduction before the picture illustrating the record was projected.

that although the signals on the record are received by the audio amplifier A, nevertheless, these signals are filtered out of this amplifier by a suitable choke C in the input circuit of the amplifier.

Referring first to the film advancing mechanism, it will be noted that this mechanism comprises an electric motor 24 having a drive shaft operatively connected to the sprocket shaft l3 through the medium of suitable reduction gearing 25. In detail, a relatively small pinion 23 is secured to the drive shaft and meshes with a larger gear 21 which, in turn, is secured to an auxiliary shaft having a relatively small pinion 28 thereon meshing with a gear 23 secured to a shaft 30. The gear 29 drives a cam 33 having a pin 3| projecting laterally therefrom adjacent the periphery and successively engageable in the radial slots of a Geneva gear 32 secured on the shaft l3. The arrangement is such that each time the gearv 23 completes one revolution, the pin 3| advances the Geneva gear a distance which, in the present instance, is predetermined to move a frame on the film into registration with the lens barrel I I. In accordance with conventional practice, the Geneva gear is held from accidental rotation during the periods of rest of the film by a locking member 32 revoluble with vanced by the operator and, in order to assist the According ,to the present invention, the film is automatically advanced to successively register the different frames with the lens barrel in proper timed relationship to the recordings on the record 20 so that advancement of the film In general, the operation signals of predetermined audio frequency recorded on the record at predeterminedly spaced intervals. It is important to note at this time the cam 33 and engageable with the Geneva gear 32 between the pin engaging slots in the latter.

The cam 33 controls the operation of a switch 35 electrically connected in a circuit 36 serving the motor 24 and comprising a pair of spring contact carrying fingers 31., The lower finger has a rider or follower 33-secured thereto and is adapted to be held under tension in contact with the cooperating upper finger 31 by engagement.

of the follower 38 with the periphery of the cam 33. As shown in Figure 4, theperiphery of the cam 33 is formed with a depression 34 of such depth that when it registers with the follower 38, the lower switch contact finger" 31 moves away from the cooperating upper finger 31 and opens the circuit to the motor 24. This circuit remains open until the cam 33 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 33 in Figure 2, whereupon the follower is engaged by the periphery of the cam and the lower contact finger is elevated to close the switch. The switch remains .closed for practically one revolution of the cam 33 or, in other words, until the depression 34 is again registered with the follower 38. it may ,bepointed out atthis time that the Geneva gear advancing pin 3! is so located with respect tothe depression 34 in the cam 33 that the Geneva gear 32 is moved one complete step by the pin 3! to advance the film before the switch 35 is opened. In order to avoid overrunning of the motor and associated film advancing mechanism, a spring brake 39 is provided. The spring brake 33 comprises a brake drum '40 secured to the drive shaft of the motor for rotation therewith as a unit and a spring arm 4! having a pad H at the free end frictionally engaged with the periphery oi the drum 40.

The circuit 33 to the electric motor 24 is initially closed independently of the switch 35 to effect the rotative movement of the cam 33 necessary to close the switch 35 by a sensitive relay 42. The relay 42 comprises a switch 43 connected in series with the motor circuit 36 and a load coil 44 electrically connected in the output circuit of a power pack 65. The power pack 45 comprises a thermionic tube amplifier 46 and a full-wave rectifier ll for supplying the current to the plate circuit of the amplifier tubes. The amplifier is of a well-known design having three stages of amplification or, in other words, having three amplifier tubes. The output or plate circuit of the first tube 49 is conductively coupled to the grid of the second tube ill and the plate circuit of the latter tube is conductively coupled to the input or grid circuit of the last tube The output or plate circuit of the last tube 5| includes the load coil 44 of the sensitive relay Q2 and the input circuit 48 of the first tube is is electrically connected to the crystal pickup 2i.

The amplifier 46 is tuned to the high irequency of the notes or signals recorded on the record so that each time a signal is received in the input circuit 48 of the amplifier, the load coil 4%; of the relay is energized. Energization of the load coil M causes the switch 53 to close the motor circuit 36 and thereby start the electric motor 20. Inasmuch as the cam 33 is operatively comiectedto the drive shaft of the motor 2t, it necessarily follows that as soon as the circuit to the motor 24 is closed, the cam is rotated in the direction of the arrow 33' to a position wherein the switch 35 is closed thereby. The switch 35 shunts the switch 43 ofthe relay 2 and, accordingly, maintains the motor circuit closed after the switch 43 .is opened by discontinuance of the signal. Also, during rotation of the cam 3t by the motor 24, the Geneva gear 32 is moved by the pin 3| to 'advancethe next adjacent frame on the film in registration with the lens barrel. As stated above, the pin 35 is so located with respect to the depression 34 in the periphery of the cam 33 that as soon as the film has advanced, the depression 3t registers with the follower $8 on the bottom switch finger 3i and permits the latter finger to move downwardly to open the switch 35 and discontinue the operation of the motor 24. It may be pointed out at this time. that the power pack 45 and associated parts may be presented in the form of a separate unit, as shown in the drawings. or may be incorporated in the casing ll.

'lfhus, from the foregoing, it will be observed that we have provided relatively. simple, inexpensive mechanism for automatically advancing the film in timed relation to the operation of the sound reproducing unit. It will also be noted that the operation of the film advancing mechanlsm is controlled by the record on which the sound is recorded without employing the objectionable audible note 'or signal and without otherwise distracting the attention of the audience.

What we claim as our invention is:

' 1. In a sound-slide film projector, a lens barrel, means for supporting a film in operative relation to the lens barrel, 9. sound reproducing unit comprising a travelling record of the sound provided with notes in the form of signals at spaced intervals having a predetermined frequency, an amplifier tuned to the frequencies of the signals and having an input circuit receiving the signals,

means for advancing the film relative to the lens barrel including an electric motor arranged in an electric circuit, a magnetically operated relay having a load coil in the output circuit of the amplifier and having a switch in the motor circuit operated by the load coil to close the motor circuit each time a signal is received by the amplifier and to open the circuit at the end of said signal, a second switch in the motor cir= cult shunting the relay switch, and means operated by the motor to close the second switch and to open the latter after a predetermined interval of operation of the motor.

2. In a sound-slide film projector, a lens barrel, means for advancing a film to successively register the frames with the lens barrel including an electric motorarranged in an electric circuit, a sound reproducing unit comprising a movable record of the'sound having different recordings applicable to different frames on the film and having an'amplifier for the sound, said record having notes recorded thereon at spaced intervals, means in the input circuit of the amplifier to filter the notes out of said amplifier, a second amplifier tuned to the frequency of the notes and having an input circuit receiving said notes, a magnetically operated relay having a load-coil in the output circuit of the second amplifier and having a switch in the motor circuit operated each time the load coil is energized by a note to close the motor circuit and to open the circuit upon termination. of the note, a second switch in the motor circuit shunting the first switch, and a cam'driven by the motor for controlling the operation or the shunt switch. 1

JOHN N. DOUGHNER. CHARLES O. GLEASON. 

